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The Only Book You Get to Write

So here’s the thing…

I bought one of those coloring books you see in the grocery store, and brought it home. I even pulled out a box of gel pens and a giant container of colored pencils left over from my son’s grade-school years.

But I didn’t want to commit to actually coloring any of the pictures, because, well… I might get it wrong.

Now you ask me what my perfectionistic coloring eccentricities have to do with writing, and here’s the honest truth:

I was treating that coloring book like it was the only art I would ever get to do.

Which is ridiculous. And when you put off writing your story because you’re waiting to find the perfect way to tell it, or the perfect words to share the punch line, you’re like me staring down my tub of gorgeous gel pens because you might choose the wrong word or phrase.

It’s not even like you’re putting off writing. What I hear you say most often is that you’re “putting off starting to write” because it feels like a project you want to luxuriate in. First you’ll need the right desk, and the right light, and the right journal, and you’ll definitely need the right pen. And probably the right mug to contain just the right beverage to accompany you along the journey of still not writing a damn thing.

So today my advice to you is to take out ANY PEN on ANY PAPER and write ANY WORDS. Because it’s not like it’s the only story you’re ever going to get to write.

There are no story czars imposing a tax on your writing… and if there are, it means you’ve sold a bunch of books and made money. Wahoo for you!

Don’t make so much of trying to get it just right in your first draft. It’s enough to write a sentence that sorta goes in the approximate direction of where you want to go.

It’s time we dispelled the myth of Writer’s Block. Real writers don’t have TIME for excuses. (They’re too busy arguing with the fictional characters in their minds…)

Your words are too important to keep them trapped in your head any longer. Are you with me??